Second chances are great! I mean, who doesn’t feel refreshed and renewed after starting over?! I have started over more times than I can count. I have started and restarted crochet, sketching, needlepoint, baking, and exercise just to name a few. Seriously, my hobby closet is full of hobbies that I have started and ‘set aside’.
On one hand, I feel some guilt and a bit of a ‘failure’ when I restart something, but then I am encouraged by the fresh start. A new skein of yarn, a blank page, a new pair of running shoes can give us a boost to jump right back in. Even a blank webpage waiting for the fresh words of a new blog post is exciting.
New Year’s resolutions are an example of the ultimate second chance. On December 31st, folks around the world make promises to self, friends and family on changes they plan to make to become the person they want to be. It has been estimated that only 8-12% of people that make resolutions they actually are successful in keeping. We want to be better and January 1st
The early cycling days!
Perfection is the goal, but we will never achieve perfection, we can only hope to become an expert. In nursing school, I learned the theory introduced by Dr. Patrician Benner discussing novice to expert. The first stage is novice, then advanced beginner, competent, proficient and finally expert. Moving from one field of nursing to another then places you back in the novice category. At no time while traversing through the stages will you obtain perfection. Perfection is desired but never achieved.
So, here I am again. Restarting my blog life. I initially started the blog to begin my health/life coaching career. Now, I use it to provoke thought, keep you moving forward in life and most of all, maintaining your (and my) mental health.
I’d love to hear your ideas for future blog posts, any questions you would like to investigate further for physical, mental or spiritual health. I’d love to keep this going at least until 2026, let celebrate our 4-month (re)anniversary January 1st.
Brett and I spent one delightful Sunday, exploring the back roads of Eastern Florida.
As most of you know, I work in healthcare. More specifically, I am a nurse practitioner. As any nurse will tell you, we have a ‘favorite’ pen. I know this sounds silly, but all work must stop if we misplace this wonderful writing instrument until it can be found. Sadly, I have a LARGE collection of various pens I have purchased, ‘found’ and have been given throughout the years. I recently grabbed a new pen for work from the collection to use at work. The inscription on the pen was ‘AdventHealth One Epic Journey’. These pens were handed out as we were implementing a new electronic health record system several years ago, aptly named EPIC. It has been a journey; nevertheless, it has been anything but epic!
This started me thinking about our journey in life and how many people would describe their journey as epic. A few months ago, I was sitting in the back of a Cracker Barrel restaurant and thinking to myself, ‘ I wonder what their story is?’. Looking at all the tables filled with people interacting with each other; laughing, talking, engaging. As I looked at each table, I began to wonder more about what their story was. Did they come out to celebrate a happy occasion? Are they traveling on vacation as a family? Or maybe, they’re merely stopping for breakfast after visiting a family member in the hospital that is sick or dying.
Each table has a story about their journey, and each individual at that table has a story about their journey. This got me thinking, ‘Why are we here?’. Not in the way I was looking at the people or the tables. But why are humans as a species here on this planet? What good have we done, what good will we do?
This table has some of my favorite people!
Two such stories come to mind in my life. Two people who were taken from this life too soon, and I often wonder what wonderful journey they did not have the chance to finish. The first person I can recall is a wonderful man I worked alongside in my medical clinic. His name was John, and he was so very full of life. He embodied the definition of Italian and New Yorker as if he were the template by which all others were drawn. His smile was infectious, and his hugs enveloped you to the point that you felt the energy they produced. John passed away almost 10 years ago, and each time I remember him, I recall the fact that I wish for more days with him. His caring demeanor was palpable in each and every interaction with our patients, and if he had a bad day, they never knew it.
The second person that comes to mind is my nephew by my former marriage. Ryan was only 23 years old when he was struck down by a drunk driver. He was pursuing a career in law enforcement, continuing in his father’s footsteps. He had survived a tour to Iraq as a US Army Reservist and been with his employer only 3 months. It was clear to those that knew Ryan or spent any kind of time with him that he was ‘different’. He LOVED the Lord and knew that his job on earth was to make it better, simply by living his life and service to others. His family has started a foundation, ‘Live Like Ryan’ to help those young adults that wish to spend their lives in service to others.
That seems to be the common denominator…. Service To Others! Both of these great men, at different time periods in their lives living to serve others. There is so much that i have done, but so much I have left to do. I look ahead to new experiences and wonder how I can continue making a difference, bring peace to the world. I want to be thought of as an encourager, a cheerleader.
Virginial Creeper Trail…….talk about an epic journey!!
I feel at some time or another in our lives, we all get restless, not happy with who or where we are. Or who we are with, at work, at home, with family and friends. Moving forward is such an important part of nature. Take for example the shark, if it is not constantly moving, swimming forward, it cannot get the oxygen it needs. If we aren’t constantly moving forward, we cannot continue to grow in our personal or professional lives. I know I have to keep moving forward allowing myself to work toward the things I want to live the life I want. I genuinely wish happiness for each and every one of you whether you are at the table alone or with your friends and family. I hope that you continue moving forward to make your life everything you want it to be.
Stay tuned for exciting news……. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD!!!
I am writing a series called “Changing from Provider to Patient- one NP’s journey”. At one time or another, we have all been patients within the medical system. This is the fourth installment of my patient journey- follow me as I balance being a patient and leave my ‘provider hat’ at home.
Day 4:
It is Thursday – Hurricane Nicole is paying a visit to Florida and today Brett and I will be spending the day watching TV and eating our hurricane snacks. I was surprised when I got a call in the evening that I will be having surgery on Friday, the very next day. The scheduler from Dr. B’s office advised me that the hospital will be in touch to let me know what time to show up at this hospital. The hospital registrar calls me and let me know that I am to show up at 10am the next day to have surgery. This has been a whirlwind of events today, but in order to get on the road to recovery, I will need to get surgery completed. Now I begin to get nervous!
Day 5:
IT’S SURGERY DAY! I am supposed to be at the hospital at 10 am. I again have Brett help me shower and get dressed to head to the hospital. I really don’t have time to allow my nerves to bother me, I’m too busy wishing I could have a snack of some sort! We arrive at the main entrance of the hospital and are asked to have a seat in the lobby. One of the registrars will be calling us to get registered to have surgery. After registration, we are instructed on where to proceed to the pre-op site.
I was a bit disappointed that we were not escorted to the area by a member of the staff. I am aware how stress can affect the ability of people to process instructions. We had to travel down several hallways before we were able to find the pre-op area. At this time, there is a waiting room, but no staff member to check in with. We had to ask a passing staff member how to check in for surgery. Now I am becoming a bit more anxious. I know (from a provider standpoint) that there are several steps to check in prior to surgery. We are advised to pick up a phone located outside the waiting room and call a listed number to check in.
We then sit in the waiting room for a staff member to come collect us and take us to the pre-op area. The pre-op nurses were very sure in their care and made me feel much less anxious. Their personality and ability to use small-talk to help us relax was definitely welcomed. Luckily, I am aware of the steps to prepare for surgery, but the nurses do explain the steps to help Brett understand the what and why of each step. I am waiting to see Dr. B prior to being placed under anesthesia. A ‘time out’ has to be completed in order to correctly identify the body part being operated on.
Dr. B arrives at my bedside and puts me even more at ease with his amazing bedside manner. Jokes were told and we spoke of some common likes in music taste. I am able to meet the OR nurse and she answers questions from myself and Brett. She appears to have a great attitude and I am pleased she will be my ‘eyes and ears’ in the OR. We agree that country music will be playing as I get ready for general anesthesia.
My medical history has been reviewed multiple times and the anesthesiologist explains how my nerve block will be completed and that I will be going home after surgery with two pumps to control my post-op pain. The anesthesiologist is able to start the procedure to place the nerve block catheters. A little Versed later and …….GOODNIGHT!
I am writing a series called “Changing from Provider to Patient- one NP’s journey”. At one time or another, we have all been patients within the medical system. This is the third installment of my patient journey- follow me as I balance being a patient and leave my ‘provider hat’ at home.
Because I had to make a public appearance, I needed to make myself presnetable. This meant I needed a shower. This was going to be difficult. I have a long leg splint to my left leg that does not allow me to bend my knee. This meant I needed some help in the shower. Help taking a shower is not something I have needed since the birth of my last child. I have helped many people with bed baths while working as a nurse in the hospital. I was initially uncomfortable allowing my husband to help me with my shower, this was an even more intimate act that goes beyond the usual intimate moments a husband and wife have in their marriage. I had to give control of my care to my husband, something that is not easy for most healthcare providers to do
As I sat in the back seat of the truck on the way home from NC to Florida, I realized that this was going to be a lesson for me. I was going to have to learn to allow others to help me, something I was not used to doing. Sure, I would let Brett help me make dinner or go grocery shopping, but for the most part, I had to have control. Now, I had to ask for help, to get dressed, to go to the bathroom, or even to get a snack in the kitchen. This means you have to give your trust to another human. This has allowed us to find a different level of our relationship. I always thought I would be the one caring for Brett, not the other way around.
Day 3:
Today was an early day- I scheduled my CT scan at 8:00 in the am because my initial Orthopedic appointment was at 10:30. Unfortunately, due to my first appointment being with a physician that was not in my insurance network, that appointment/physician had to be rescheduled.
Not only does Brett have to take me to the various appointments, helping me in and out of the truck, but now he has to fit his other activities and errands in between those appointments. He is still working to keep folks on thier bikes and building some amazing bikes for his customers. I am now dependent on Brett for travel and care. Where I would usually go to church on a weekday, take the dogs for walk or maybe do some window shopping, this has now been taken out of my daily routines.
I was able to visit one of our newer facilities for my CT scan. It is a state of the art faciltiy with imaging, physical therapy, primary care and orthopedic care. There are facilities for the professional and semi-professional athlete to recover from injuries. This excites me as I would like to return to my normal activities of cycling as well as return to my trainer at the local gym.
My visit to Dr. B was very informative. He was a livley fellow that met my energy with some of his own. He really made me feel that the changes that were made in the physician was the best thing to happen for me. Dr. B was able to discuss my injury, let me know that the surgery could be a early as the following day or two and the post-op progress and plan. I am very excited about the way my fractures will be fixated (if able) and the nerve block pain pump for management of post-op pain.
In the urgent care setting, my care often ends with the application of the splint to secure a fracture. I will often tell my patients when they ask me if they will need surgery that the specialist will be able to give them more information. This experience has given me some insite into the next steps my patients will have to travel. Always looking for blessings and lessons, I realize that I will be able to pass along more information to those I care for that have fractures.
So now we wait to see when surgery will be….oh and by the way Hurricane Nicole is just off the coast of Florida. How exciting!
I am writing a series called “Changing from Provider to Patient- one NP’s journey” At one time or another, we have all been a patient within the medical system. This is the second installment of my patient journey- follow with me as I balance being a patient and leave my ‘provider hat’ at home.
Day 2:
We’re back home in Orlando from our visit in NC. The initial plan was to return to Florida the day prior to my work day to rest and recuperate from our travel day. But you may have heard the saying, ‘If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans’. In healthcare, you learn to be flexible or you can become frustrated and burn-out.
Today, Brett and I went to the new Orthopedic Urgent Care to begin my care in Orlando. I knew I would need surgery based on what Dr. S (the ED doctor in NC) said and I wanted to get on top of the process. Having been on the provider side of the referral process, I knew it could be time-consuming with insurance approval and scheduling; both the medical office and our own schedules.
The urgent care staff were very friendly right from the start. I was envious of the ‘new’ urgent care and the enthusiastic attitudes of the staff working there. It’s refreshing to see this in the current healthcare climate. The gentleman at the front desk was helpful with registration, but unfortunately, we were not updated on the delay in our appointment time, this had caused some irritation with Brett. There had been a patient in the treatment area that needed some extended time with the provider, so this threw off all other appointments. This is something as a provider I often have to balance; giving the patient in front of me the time they need all while taking into consideration the number of patients that are waiting for me in the waiting room. I am now navigating the waiting room side of healthcare with a spouse that is very time conscious. This will require some gentle guidance from me to help him understand the balance of time that is taking place.
Once we were called into the treatment area, the clinical staff were efficient, but I did miss some of the ‘southern hospitality’ of the staff in NC. There are those patients that want to know ‘just the facts’, those that want to have their hands held and those, like me, that are a combination of both. As providers, we have just minutes to assess what type of reassurance and comfort the patient in front of us requires to feel safe and cared for.
After a new set of x-rays (post splint application) for the provider, we waited in the exam room to be evaluated. Ms. T, the smart and caring PA, came in and began to review both the original and current x-rays as well as the treatment that would be needed. We discussed the referral needed and we were discharged home. At this appointment there was not a lot of discussion of the actual surgery needed, but it was confirmed that surgery would be required to make sure this healed quickly and efficiently.
After a few hours, Ms. T called and let me know that she placed an order for a CT of the ankle/leg that should be completed before I see the Orthopedic doctor. This would allow the doctor to assess the injury more completely and determine the appropriate surgery to schedule. Later in the afternoon, we had appointments made for both the CT and the Ortho doctor, set for the very next day! Now we wait……
My fashion has changed since COVID-19 came on the scene.
Happy September everyone! The Labor Day holiday has come and gone and we have a few more weeks until Halloween. Although if you ask my daughter Kimberly, it’s officially Fall Free-for All!
Things have begun to settle down, for a second time this Pandemic. So I have some free time to sit, reflect and share my thoughts. It has been 1 year and 6 months since my last blog post and I will admit, it seems like much, much longer. When I looked back on my last blog post, it was surprised to read that I was talking about the closing of businesses as the quarantine ramped up.
Now here we are, dealing with the new strain of COVID and how to maneuver our lives with it running though the population. The initial strains of the COVID virus wrecked havoc on the world, and just when it seemed we were going to be ok, the Delta variant sprung to life. Now here we are again, fighting over the right to wear or not wear a mask and whether or not to get a vaccine that may help save us and our family members.
At the beginning of the Pandemic, doctors, nurses, medical staff, fire and police were all regarded as healthcare heroes. Everywhere you looked, everything you read and heard, people were thanking those people that were working long hours in dangerous conditions for helping others in regards to the COVID -19 pandemic. Eventually, we saw more and more people arguing, conspiracy theories and using political affiliation to deride those that didn’t feel or act the same way. If you were Republican and contracted COVID, it was because you wanted your political freedoms. If you were Democratic and contracted COVID, it was because it was ‘do as I say, not as I do’. Masks were another bone of contention. ‘My body, my choice’ became a war cry for those that did not want to wear a mask. And if you didn’t want to wear a mask, you were being ‘unpatriotic’ because our lawmakers have asked and in some cases mandated mask wearing.
Once we had a COVID vaccine developed, the two sides of the aisle drifted father and farther apart. If you got the vaccine you were labeled a ‘sheep’, just following along with the crowd. If you didn’t get the vaccine, your were labeled ‘selfish’, not caring what happened to your friends and family. Many people have lost friends and family over this issue; not because of death or injury, but people were cutting off friendships over the views on masks and vaccines. With people becoming more and more angry at all things COVID, those on the front line slowly stopped being HEROES. I can speak of my own personal experiences and how many times I am yelled at or rebuked for the amount of time a person has been waiting to be seen in my Urgent Care. There have been racial comments from otherwise normal seeming persons. And through all this, I have to keep my sanity and pretend that I am ok.
Typical day of patient flow at our Urgent Care
I have gone without meals, spent my lunch at my desk seeing the sick and injured. My husband has spent many an hour worried about my safety, not so much my physical safety but my medical safety. He has lost sleep and spent a lot of time fretting over if I too will get sick despite my vaccine or mask wearing.
So for all those that do not work in healthcare, please be kind to those of us that do. We are tired from long hours and mentally exhausted from the constant anguish of continued illness and death. Many of us are leaving the medical profession because we can no longer continue at this pace, especially in the face of so much animosity. If we all leave, there will be no one else to care for you; in the offices, in the hospital, in the very moment you need us most.
Until the time that I can retire, I will do my best to help those that need me. Be safe everyone and most of all be kind and considerate!
Hello all! I hope you are enjoying your day, whether at work or quarantined at home, or with a ‘stay in place’ order. Jobs are closing, school has been postponed like it’s a snow day and quarantine fever has nothing to do with Covid-19.
Today I was making a visual list of things you can do while Social Distancing! It’s a funny list of things that if you have to stay home or stay away from other folks, you can accomplish throughout your day.
So much as been shown on social media about the quarantine and how to get through it, but why ‘get through it’? What is it about humans that we can’t be satisfied? Why can’t we enjoy life as it is, in this very moment, whatever our circumstances? I’m not talking about being satisfied with scientific discoveries or other advances in humanity. But if you check out your friend’s list on FaceBook, Instagram or SnapChat, you will find some of the following examples of our inability to be satisfied.
I wish I could stay home from work….I wish I could just go to work! I love my kids dearly, they’re the best……These kids need to get back to class! I just want to spend some time to myself……Why can’t I be in a group of more than 10? It’s so hot this summer…..I can’t wait for Winter/Spring/Fall! It’s so cold this winter…..I can’t wait for Spring/Summer/Fall!!
Satisfaction is defined as “the fulfillment or gratification of a desire, need, or appetite”. I love this definition! The fulfillment of a desire. The gratification of a need. Have you ever looked at your life at any particular moment and felt completely satisfied, and not wanted even one thing to change? I know it’s been hard for me.
When on a camping vacation, I am so very happy in the moment, but then ‘I wish I didn’t have to go back home!’. Or ‘ I can’t wait for the next 2 weeks to pass’, but forget that your child will be two weeks older and that time will be gone forever!
I reminds me of the movie ‘Click’ with Adam Sandler where he wishes he could fast forward through the hard and mundane things to get to the moments that he needs to work on or get through. This works well, until he realizes that the time he is skipping is getting longer and longer and he has no control over the amount of time he is losing! It shows him that every single moment is precious. And they are. Doing yardwork, which I hated at a kid, now just serves as a reminder of times that my mom, sister and I would spend outside (usually mom was yelling at us to get back to work!). But I do miss those moments with the two of them.
So while you are self-isolating, quarantined or under a ‘stay in place’ order, please enjoy those around you! Spend as many moments talking, getting to know your children again, date your spouse or significant other! This time will not return and you can grab some satisfaction in the meantime.
Have a great day all! I’m going to go walk my cat!
Hello everyone from sunny Orlando Florida! Or at least I think it’s sunny. The last time I checked it was sunny! Working in the healthcare field right now is very hectic, 14-15 hour days with more to come.
We are in the middle of Quarantine Time here in Central Florida. COVID 19 is here and has no plans of leaving. Travel plans included: Walt Disney World…..closed; Universal Studios……closed; Legoland….closed. Then it decided ‘Hey, I’ll take a cruise”…..no can do! Maybe eat at some of the nicer restaurants in the tourist area….NOPE, closed until you leave COVID 19!!
This has hit many people hard, especially the service industry, in which Orlando is mostly employed. Small business, family run restaurants and nightclubs/bars have had to send people home and unable to tell them when they are going to return to work. Churches are cancelling services in the most Holy of days, Lent and Easter.
We have to stay 6 feet apart from each other and the grocery store shelves are empty of toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Everyone wants this to go away, but so many people do not want to do their part in helping to flatten the curve. So many are at risk to include infants, elderly, pregnant women and the immunocompromised.
There are people that want to be tested for the Coronavirus, but only so they can return to their ‘normal’ day-to-day lives. One such lady said she couldn’t self isolate because she had to go to the grocery store! The very place where we don’t want germs.
I just wanted to take a minute to let you all know that I hope you are taking time away from the news, away from each other, and away from the chaos that comes with this quarantine we are in. Take care of yourself, wash your hands (soap and water is just fine) and don’t touch your face.
Make sure to pay attention to the companies that take care of their employees at this most tender time. These are the companies that you want to frequent after the crisis is over. Some of these companies include: Darden Restaurants, PepsiCo, Walmart, Amazon, Apple, McDonalds, Disney, Universal Studios and Delta. These are a few of the companies that are putting their money where their mouths are! WAY TO GO!!
Good day everyone! Hope your Tuesday is going great! We’re getting closer to Spring, can you feel it yet? I know everyone in our house is looking forward to warmer temps and longer days!
It’s been a rough couple of weeks! We have been busier than usual, Brett has been keeping the bike shop at top speed and I have been screening just about everyone for the flu (now getting ready for the Coronavirus concerns!) But on Sunday, when I was supposed to be getting ready for work, I just felt the need to break away!
I wanted to call in sick and take a day to completely forget everyone and everything associated with responsibility. I told one of my coworkers that I didn’t want to be. Not be at work, I just didn’t want to ‘be’. There is no need to worry about my mental health, but I’ll admit I wanted to sit in a room, under some covers and not think! I didn’t want to have to make any decisions, do any housework, talk to any other humans or perform any ‘higher brain’ functions! I wanted to be an introvert just for the day!
There are days when we need to just take a breather. Times to detach ourselves from our routine, hectic life! Time to ourselves and our thoughts, times to recharge our batteries. To be a compassionate human being, you must be able to give of yourself and if you have not emptied your well, you can’t take any more on. Time to ignore the laundry and leave the dishes in the sink, as hard as that may be!
Today for me, is my breather. I made a sandwich, packed my bicycle (well Brett did that for me) and made sure I had sunscreen. I found a spot on the sand at the beach and anchored my umbrella. The next 5 hours involved no one but me!! I feel refreshed and ready to take on my next challenge.
My wish for you today is that you can ‘take a breather’! Eat dinner outside, take a long bath, go to a hotel and get a full nights sleep……the world will be there for you when you return!
Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope that your Christmas was peaceful and full of joy!
This morning I returned to work to I felt a excitement to start the ‘new year’! Yes, I know that it isn’t quite the New Year yet… that will be next week. I mean the new year in the fact that we have celebrated the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ! I can’t help to be excited about this time of year!
We spend so much time preparing for Christmas by decorating and shopping, baking and sending well wishes to our friends and family. But then, December 26th comes and the world returns to the hustle and bustle of life.
There is still so much to be thankful for, even after Christmas Day! It only take a moment to slow down, look around and see those people and things that are in your life that are blessings. Your job for one- it may be a hard grueling job, but there are so many other that can’t work or can’t find work.
How about your home? Yeah it needs a fresh coat of paint and you can’t really remember what caused that stain on the living room carpet, but it kept the cold out and the rain off your head. What a blessing!!
And your family….boy are they annoying! But is there anyone you know that is missing their mom, dad, brother or sister this Christmas season? What they wouldn’t give for one more hour, one more day with them.
So I would like to challenge you to look at others around you, what could you do to extend blessings to them? Could it be a nice hand written card thanking them for being part of your work team? Maybe pass on that ‘last season’ outfit that you no longer need or want. Or perhaps, start making regular donations of time, talent or treasure to a charity of your choice.
So……Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!! I hope this next year is so full of blessings that your face gets sore from smiling so much!
Healing You 